ZGadson

I've been noticing that since I moved to Georgia (where its very hilly), my car rides downhill funny - almost as if I'm riding the brakes, or coasting in 1st gear, because if I put it in neutral when coasting downhill, it feels like it rolls easier. In drive, if I keep my foot barely on the gas, it also seems to even out the lag.

Is this normal?

Rood

iTrader: (15)

same in my old toyota camry, auto.

AEMAXIMA01

iTrader: (3)

Normal for an Auto.

Christobal65

Down Hill completely off the throttle and it seems to drag? That's normal. The ECU in most cars are programed to cut all fuel to the engine and just use the drive train to keep the engine spinning. Maximas seem to cut off the fuel and add it back rather abruptly.

Gemner

iTrader: (4)

+1 above, the injectors pulse something like 2ms when at very low to no throttle. This will obviously make it feel like youre draggin the brakes. If you want to really have fun, reroute the breather from the front cover and just put a filter on it, then plug the outlet from the intake tubing. You get this awesome pulsing of power at low throttle %'s. bucking bronco FTW?

Christobal65

wait you can make the car buck in 1st gear (MT) worse than it already does stock?

jasonmax

iTrader: (2)

its called engine brake
many new auto trannies even downshift when going downhill.

Gemner

iTrader: (4)

well, im not sure that its worse, but its different and bad. I logged the a/f when my car was doing that and it turned out that the engine was cycling on and off the fuel, so it was cutting fuel like in engine brake mode, then it would give it fuel again, then back into brake mode, it would do it pretty quick so the car definitely bucked.

ZGadson

My car doesnt buck, persay, but it definately seems like it has a big kick when you give it gas during or after coasting downhill.

I had my car at the dealer for some work a few months ago and they loaned me a G37 coupe (didn't want to give it back) but it did the same thing only worse. I called the dealer to ask about it (thinking I F*ed up their loaner or something), but they gave me some bull**** answer about traction control and something else. Didn't know if it was related or not.

Christobal65

Manual cars can really kinda buck when you release and get on the gas in 1st gear, autos aren't as susceptible.

AEMAXIMA01

iTrader: (3)

Just a technique that takes a little mastering. My 5th gen is a lot easier to keep from bucking than my 4th gen was.

01Anniv20147

Finally someone experiences the same problem. Funny thing i got the same line of s@#$ from the dealer you did...NO PROBLEM FOUND. Its VERY annoying but I havent experienced it in my 5th gen only my 06 Altima. PITA!

jasonmax

iTrader: (2)

its because auto doesnt lock up the torque converter till its in overdrive.
if you autobox can lock its torque converter in 1st, it would buck too.

Christobal65

i agree, my mom has a 4th gen and it is a pita to drive smoothly in 1st gear in a parking lot or traffic
that's basically what i said just with out the techno-babble. Also the torque converter does lock up in the lower gears its just not always locked like it is in OD. In the lower gears it locks up at a specific rpm.

FlipCpt45

iTrader: (6)

OT, but trying going downhill and hitting the fuel cut is like hitting a brick wall.. (135mph limiter on autos)

Gemner

iTrader: (4)

The 135 mph limiter is a soft limiter though, it would be worse at a rev limit fuel cut

FlipCpt45

iTrader: (6)

thats soft huh.i thought my car was going to blow up when i hit it :P lol

then again it was awhile back.. i normally don't go that fast anyways... maybe if i was supercharged on the other hand.. lol